Thursday, July 23: Ireland U21 Men’s head coach Patrick Tshutshani has announced his 18-player squad to travel to Poznan, Poland for the 2026 EuroHockey U21 Championship II-A beginning this Monday, July 27.
Tshutshani, who was officially unveiled as the U21 Men’s head coach last month, will guide the side through their first major competition since his appointment. The team will draw great confidence from a recent series against France in Beauvais, where they secured two wins and a draw against a French side that are in preparation for the EuroHockey U21 Championship, the topflight underage competition.
Among the side are thirteen returning faces from Ireland’s hugely successful 2026 FIH Junior World Cup campaign where the team secured a 10th place finish in India, a campaign which provided this young team with invaluable experience against top global opposition.
Three Rock Rovers’ James Coffey and Dublin University’s Sam Chapman both return to the Irish net, with the likes of Ryan Williams, Toby Slye O’Connell, Ben Walker, Jamie Horgan returning in Ireland’s backline.
In midfield, YMCA’s Alfie LeQuesne, Portrane’s Noa Mulvey, and Lisnagarvey’s Milo Thompson will look to transition Ireland up the pitch and link with attackers John Cunnigham, who will aspire to be among the goals once again having topped the goalscoring charts in his EuroHockey U18 Championship II campaign in 2026, and Cork Harlequins’ Sam Dale and Banbridge’s Matthew McKee.
Among the newer faces to the squad are Banbridge’s Aaron Baxter and Tommy Dobson, Portrane’s Liam Walsh, and Instonians’ Matthew McAreavey, with all four players already impressing with the side in their series wins over Scotland and France earlier this year.
Ireland enter their campaign in Poznan as the favourites, with a first-place finish providing the side with a coveted place at the 2027 FIH Junior World Cup. The side will begin their campaign on Monday, July 27 against Croatia before facing Lithuania, Italy, Poland and Ukraine in their pursuit of tope spot.
Aaron Baxter
Alfie LeQuesne
Ben Walker
Jake Fulton
James Coffey
Jamie Horgan
John Cunningham
Liam Walsh
Matthew McAreavey
Matthew McKee
Milo Thompson
Noa Mulvey
Ryan Williams
Sam Dale
Toby Slye O’Connell
Tom Archbold
Tommy Dobson
Sam Chapman
Hockey Ireland
